The present invention relates to a discharged sheet stacker adaptable for use with a recording apparatus, such as a printer or a copying machine, and relates to a recording apparatus provided with the discharged sheet stacker.
An example of a related discharged sheet stacker in use for a recording apparatus, such as a printer or a copying machine, is constructed as follows. A pivotable member made of a rigid material is turned to be horizontal to be used as the discharged sheet stacker. When not used, it is turned to be vertical to close the front face of the printer body. For another example, it is constructed a discharged sheet stacker includes an extension stacker which may be drawn out of the turn member in accordance with a size of a sheet of paper. When the extension stacker is thus drawn out, it receives the sheet of a large size.
A related printer is shown in FIG. 19. A sheet supply tray 201 made of a hard material is removably attached to the rear side of a printer body 200 whose external configuration is almost cuboid. A discharged sheet stacker 203 made of a hard material is removably attached to the front side of the printer body, while being extensible to the front.
In recent years, it is required that the product with stylish design which matches a life style of the user. Thus, in recent product development, one of the subjects assigned to the product manufacturer is not only to improve the functional aspect but also to improve the design stylishness which satisfies user""s needs. For this reason, it is required to develop a variety of products designed on the basis of one product concept xe2x80x9csoft impressionxe2x80x9d.
Where the discharged sheet stacker made of the rigid material or hard material is used, a design freedom is frequently restricted in designing products based on the xe2x80x9csoft impressionxe2x80x9d concept. In a printer of such a type that the discharged sheet stacker is closed in the housing, if the form of the discharged sheet stacker made of the rigid material is determined, then the form of the housing itself must be restrictively determined in accordance with the form of the discharged sheet stacker.
The discharged sheet stacker includes a sheet receiving face which is bendable, wherein when the stacker is used, the sheet receiving face is substantially horizontal for receiving sheets of paper, and when the stacker is closed in its place, the sheet receiving face may be deformed along the outer configuration of the housing.
A standby position of a carriage with an ink cartridge mounted thereon is located in one of the right and left end portions of the printer. Accordingly, the center line of the housing is not coincident with the center line of the opening through which the sheets are discharged. For this reason, when the discharged sheet stacker is closed in a state that it is deformed along the configuration of the housing, the stacker deformed is asymmetrical with respect to its center line. As a result, when the discharged sheet stacker is used, the stacker has had the tendency to deform, and hence one of the sides of the stacker is raised.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention is to provide a discharged sheet stacker having such a structure that in designing the product based on the concept of xe2x80x9csoft impressionxe2x80x9d, a design freedom is increased regardless of the discharged sheet stacker made of the rigid material, which the stacker is compact when it is closed, and protects the sheet discharge section against dust, and to provide a recording apparatus with such a discharged sheet stacker.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a discharged sheet stacker which functions such that even when the deformable discharged sheet stacker has had the tendency to deform, its tendency to deform is removed and its original configuration is resumed when it is used, and a recording apparatus with such a discharged sheet stacker.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a stacker on which a recording medium discharged from an outlet of a recoding apparatus is placed, which is movable between a first position for closing the outlet and a second position for opening the outlet, the stacker comprising a sheet receiving face, that receives the discharged recording medium, being a first form when the stacker is placed in the first position, and being a second form when the stacker is placed in the second position.
In this configuration, there increased a degree of freedom of the combinations of the discharged sheet stacker and the external configurations of the recording apparatus. As a result, it is easy to develop the products based on a product concept, regardless of the configuration of the discharged sheet stacker.
Preferably, the sheet receiving face is made of a material having flexibility. In this case, the sheet receiving face is relatively freely deformed to have a predetermined configuration when the stacker is placed in the first position. As a result, a compact stacker closed state is realized.
Preferably, the second form of the sheet receiving sheet is substantially flat. In this case the discharged recording medium is supported on the sheet receiving face without any deformation.
Preferably, a center portion of the sheet receiving face is bent downward from both side portions thereof with regard to a widthwise direction of the sheet. When the recording media are stacked on the discharged sheet stacker, a load acting on the discharged sheet stacker increases. However, in this configuration, the bending of the discharged sheet stacker in the sheet discharging direction due to the load can be almost eliminated. A degree of the bending varies depending on a material and size of the sheet receiving face, and hence it cannot be uniquely determined.
Here, it is preferable that the whole part of the stacker forming the sheet receiving face is bent. In this case, the bending state of the stacker can be realized without using another auxiliary member. In this respect, this embodiment is economical.
Also, it is preferable that the stacker further comprises a holder, that supports an upstream end portion of the sheet receiving face with regard to a sheet discharging direction, the holder provided with a support face which is convex downward. The center portion of the sheet receiving face is bent along the support face of the holder.
In this configuration, the upstream portion of the sheet receiving face is forcibly bent downward, its bending state is extended to a downstream portion of the sheet receiving face, thereby preventing the discharged sheet stacker from being bent over its entire length of the sheet receiving face as viewed in the sheet discharging direction. Further, since there is no need of additionally providing a member for retaining the bending state, the sheet receiving face can be bent a simple structure and economically.
Here, it is preferable that the center portion of the sheet receiving face is urged against the support face. In this case, the sheet receiving face is uniformly bent in the width direction by merely urging the central part of the upstream portion of the sheet receiving face against the support face. Further, the bending state of the sheet receiving face can be readily realized.
Alternatively, the stacker further comprises flatness retainers, that retain flatness of the sheet receiving face when the stacker is placed in the second position, the flatness retainers being provided on both side end portions of the sheet receiving face with regard to a widthwise direction of the sheet.
In this configuration, it is easy to remove the deforming tendency of the stacker which was bent when the stacker is closed. Additionally, it further lessens the bending of the stacker by the weight of media stacked on the stacker.
Here, it is preferable that both side end portions of the stacker forming the sheet receiving face are bent in a direction perpendicular to the sheet receiving face to realize the flatness retainers. In this configuration, the flatness retainer also serves as a guide for both side ends of the discharged recording medium. When the stacker is moved from the first position to the second position, it may be ready for use easily and quickly by merely bending the flatness retainers.
Preferably, the sheet receiving face is so deformed as to be along with an outer peripheral shape of a housing of the recording apparatus, when the stacker is placed in the first position. In this case, the outer configuration of the housing may variously be changed in design. The stacker may be designed in good harmony with the whole recording apparatus when it is closed.
Here, it is preferable that the outer peripheral shape of the housing is curved face. In this case, it is possible to provide a recording apparatus having xe2x80x9csoft impressionxe2x80x9d, and the products satisfying recent user""s needs.
Also, it is preferable that the sheet receiving face is provided with a non-opaque part. In this case, the user can visually recognize a design of the housing through the stacker, even in the closed position, if the sheet receiving face is colored and translucent, the sheet receiving face itself produces a design effect. When the sheet receiving face is combined with a color of the housing, another color is produced. When it is harmonized with the design of the housing, the resultant product may be used as an interior article in an office or home. When the sheet receiving faces having a variety of colors are provided, the user may select a recording apparatus having the color well matching the color of the room. This will yield additional market needs.
Preferably, the sheet receiving face covers at least the outlet when the stacker is placed in the first position. In this case, the stacker may cover the inlet, the outlet or the like, which are formed in the housing, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering those openings when the discharged sheet stacker is no in use. Further, since the outlet and the like are kept from sight, the design value of the whole recording apparatus is improved.
Preferably, the stacker further comprises a holder, that supports an upstream end portion of the sheet receiving face with regard to a sheet discharging direction. The sheet receiving face is formed with at least one aperture in the upstream end portion. The holder includes at least one retainer engaged with the aperture so as to prevent the sheet receiving face from deforming upward.
In this configuration, the deforming tendency of the stacker is forcibly removed, thereby maintaining a predetermined configuration of the sheet receiving face.
Here, it is preferable that the retainer is integrally formed with the holder. In this case, when the holder is formed, the retainer may also be formed concurrently.
Also, it is preferable that a plurality of apertures are arranged symmetrically with respect to a widthwise center line of the stacker. In this case, the deformation of the stacker may be uniformly lessened on both sides of the center line on the stacker as viewed in the width direction. Therefore, it is possible to maintain a configuration of the sheet receiving face closest to a predetermined one.
Still also, it is preferable that the sheet receiving face is so deformed as to be along with an outer peripheral shape of a housing of the recording apparatus, when the stacker is placed in the first position. Here, it is preferable that the outer peripheral shape of the housing is curved face. Further, it is preferable that a widthwise center line of the stacker is offset from a widthwise center line of the housing so that the sheet receiving face is asymmetrically deformed when the stacker is placed in the first position.
When the stacker is deformed along the outer configuration of the housing, an asymmetric tendency to deform is created in the stacker. However, such a deforming tendency may be corrected through the action of the retainers. Therefore, a design of the recording apparatus can be altered as desired, regardless of the outer configuration of the housing and the positional relationship of the housing to the stacker.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a stacker on which a recording medium discharged from an outlet of a recoding apparatus is placed, which is movable between a first position for closing the outlet and a second position for opening the outlet, the stacker comprising:
a sheet receiving face, that receives the discharged recording medium, made of a material having flexibility, and formed with at least one aperture in an upstream end portion with regard to a sheet discharging direction, and
a holder, that supports the upstream end portion of the sheet receiving face, the holder including at least one retainer engaged with the aperture so as to prevent the sheet receiving face from deforming upward.
In this configuration, since the deforming tendency of the stacker is forcibly removed, a predetermined configuration of the sheet receiving face can be maintained.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising the above stacker. In this case, the recorded medium may smoothly be received on the stacker. There is no chance that the discharged medium is jammed at the outlet. Further, there is eliminated troublesome work of rearranging the medium on the stacker. Further, there succeeds in providing a recording apparatus of soft impression which well matches user""s life style. Since a design freedom is increased, another type of recording apparatus which is capable of satisfying user""s needs may readily be provided to the market.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising:
a main body, including an inlet from which a recording medium is inserted, and an outlet from which the recording medium is discharged; and
a stacker, made of a material having flexibility, which envelops at least the outlet of the main body at a first position and which guides the discharged recording medium at a second position.
In this configuration there is no case that dust enters the printer inside through the outlet.
Preferably, the stacker is detachably coupled to the main body. In this case, it is easy to replace the stacker with another stacker.
Preferably, the stacker is provided with a display on a face which is the other side of the face on which the discharged recording medium is placed In this case, the house mark and the effective usage of the printer, and a user friendly display, such as impressive print patterns may appear when the stacker is not used. Therefore, the utility value of the tray and the product value of the printer as well are increased.
Preferably, the main body has a shape so rounded as to protrude in a height direction and a depth direction thereof. In this case, it is roundish as a whole, and it gives the user soft impression.
Preferably, both side faces of the main body are broadened toward the bottom. Each side face of the main body is formed with an incurved portion. In this case, its stability is improved, and it is easily carried.
Preferably, the recording apparatus further comprises a tray, made of a material having flexibility, which covers at least the inlet of the main body at a first position and which guides the recording medium to be inserted into the inlet at a second position. In this case, there is no case that dust enters the printer inside through the inlet.
Here, it is preferable that the tray overlaps with the stacker placed in the first position when the tray is placed in the first position. In this case, the dust protecting effect can be further enhanced.